Chapter 3: Rising Up – Chapter 2

"uggghhh, UGH, my head"

Kellin murmurs out, grimacing at the thumping pain vibrating through his head.

"Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut UP"

A high pitched screech surrounds Kellin in a derranged rant. Turning to his left, exploring the surroundings of his seemingly eternal suffering, his eyes lock onto Hayleys naked body. Scrawled out across the bed, hands covering her face as she continually screams out in defiance of her life.

"Hayley shut u-..."

...

"HAYLEY?!"

"AHH?!"

Hayley startled by Kellins explosion faces him, as the realisation dawns on her as it has him. They're both naked in Kellins bed, booze littered around the room, a stimpack of slum brand fun time hallucination juice on the bedside table. Their celebrations last night clearly went deep into the night. 

"Hayley, we didn't... you know... right?"

...

"HOW THE FUCK WOULD I KNOW, WHY AM I NAKED?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME KELLIN?!"

Hayley throws her fists to strike Kellin down, only to realise her foolish mistake, the pain hadn't actually subsided, and like a sack of rocks in the city's river, she sinks onto the bed.

"Woahwoahwoahwoahwoah, I'm naked here too, what did you do to me?!"

Kellin's rebuttle fell on deaf ears as Hayley simply laid there mumbling 'whore' towards him.

"You'll pay for this Kellin, mark my words."

Kellin sighs towards her final threat.

"How is this all my fault?"

muttering to himself in disbelief before covering her with his duvet and stepping into the bathroom to collect some cure-all drugs to help with the pain.

 

Half an hour later they are both clothed, sitting on Kellins sofa. 

"Kellin if you tell a soul what happened, I'll kill you."

Kellin didn't argue back, the past thirty minutes was enough to realise the only way out of this was full submission.

"Yeah, its not like I want people to know either."

Hayleys face contorted at his words.

"Huuuh?! Whats wrong with me? You got lucky here today! You'd want everyone to know you had this gorgeous ME in your bed!"

Hayley slams her fist down and stares Kellin down with a fury that seems endless.

*sigh*

Kellin was beginning to contemplate his entire life, which options could he have chosen to avoid this situation, was time travel a thing? Could he do it? No he wasn't smart enough for that, but what if Kayley could... No she'd never help him for something personal, but what if its to stop him banging her sister? Maybe, it's possible. Suddenly snapped from his internal monologue, Hayley was gripping his collar tightly.

"Are you fucking listening to me Kellin?"

Kellin, knowing full well he hadn't been listening to a single word she said, now enters fight or flight. In this moment, he chose to cease brain operation, and trust in his most powerful attribute, instinct. 

"HMPH?!"

Hayley is stunlocked, kellin is pulling her into a passion filled kiss with what tastes to hayley like a tinge of fear? Or maybe this is just how he kisses? Unbeknownst to her, she already returning the passion. In this filthy apartment, with the idiot she just had a drug fuelled binge ending in who knows what. The guy who she relies on so often, basically grew up with. Their limbs intertwine, the moment continues for what feels like a lifetime, until eventually they both stagnate and pull apart. 

An awkward silence follows, both of them waiting for other to speak up. Before anyone does, Kellin recieves a call from Danny.

"Hey bro! How you feelin, pretty wild night! Anyway, hope you're getting ready, we're all going to go to the market today to get some upgrades and prepare for the job, remember? I already accepted the job, don't worry. bro you there?"

Danny barrage of words swept Kellin up, unable to formulate words, he simply grunts in response.

"Aight sweet, I think 'kaykay' is already on the way, not sure about Hayley though, she didn't go home last night apparently, so maybe she hooked up with some dude HAH!" 

"Y-yeah I gotta finish getting ready, see ya soon Danny"

Kellin nervously stutters out.

"Aight, yeah bro peace"

The call hangs up and kellin slumps into his seat, Hayley calmly stares at him for a second before rising up.

"I gotta go get ready too, I'll see ya later Kell"

A softer tone echoes from Hayley, conflicted or perhaps the opposite. Whatever anger she had towards Kellin seems to be over, now it was just the next issue to solve between them.

"Wait a minute, Kell?"

Another subject to approach it seems.

 

Several hours later the gang meet up at the entrance of River City's waterway. The slum entrance. The grimey streets leading to a half broken archway, its light long extinguished. Just beyond the archway, stands the river docks, leading to the great river market. A collection of floats and boats stretching from the slums to every district in River City. As they travelled down the wooden pathway, Danny spoke constantly, this wasn't unusual but the silence of Kellin and Hayley was all too obvious. 

"Whats wrong with you guys, you still hungover? Come on you're mercs, you can't walk around being that weak!"

Danny triumphantly declares, pumping his fist in the air.

The pair mumble some awkward lines about being fine. Kayley eyes them both up and down, her eyes widen for the slightest of moments before returning to normal. Except for the slight bulging vein on her forehead at least. Danny looks at Kayley perplexed, he simply doesn't get whats going on.

"Fine whatever, lets just get going, I got some new implants I've been eyeing up! Gonna make me smash stuff even harder!"

Danny's confidence beams out of him as he charges ahead of the others, Kayley seeing Danny charge off, quickly turns to the two gritting her teeth.

"You dumbasses fucked didn't you?! Forget it, I don't care, just don't fuck shit up for us on this job! Got it?! GOT IT?! If you two end up getting one of us hurt I swear on our parents grave-"

Kayley usually had a very quiet and calm presence, so this outburst was more of a surprise than a fear enducing threat.

"We're fine, Kayley, it was just an accident from a wild night, we're cool."

Hayley emplores to her sister, trying to soothe her anger.

"Right... Yeah what she said."

Kellin solemnly mumbles out.

"Hmph"

Kayley huffs out and follows after Danny, the pair look at eachother one last time and chase after her.

 

Stepping onto the market rafts anyone would notice they were well maintained, even for the slums they had to be. Ornate lighting and bustling steps filled the air as people move from one float to the next in search of deals. Kellin absent-mindedly finds himself following the crew into a cybernetic implant studio, one they'd been to before. Danny was already in the chair declaring he's ready to smash twice as hard and Kayley was checking out some optics, quietly, as if her earlier outburst never happen.

Hayley had gone to the next float to check out the arms dealer. These were all incredibly illegal floats as almost every store in the slums was part of the black market, very few people operated legitimately. Kellin didn't require any new implants, nor did he want to sit and watch Danny gushing in the chair. Deciding to step outside, he makes his way over to the next float. Hayley was inside haggling with the dealer over some rather powerful looking handguns. Not to interupt her flow he approaches the sword selection subtly however nothing was particularly screaming out to him, suddenly his eyes locked with a jewel that had been shoved in the back corner. A sleak red, lightly curved blade much like his own katana, except for  the fact this sword didn't vibrate. It was heated, a neon filament scorching blade to sear your enemies in twain. Shorter than his current choice it could be used in close quarter situations and frankly Kellin thought he'd look baller with two swords.

Immediately shoving the sword on the desk, ignoring Hayley currently in the middle of bartering and demands to know the price. He was willing to pay whatever they said causing Hayley to gasp at the amount, sheer disbelief that he would fork out that much! Kellin gleefully attaches the sword at his hip and makes strides outside, leaving hayley to finish up her own dealings.

Some time later, everyone met up at a food stall. Hayley is grilling Kellin over his purchasing habbits with fervour, this sight alone forces Kayley to relax. The two must be okay. Kayley always assumed they would end up together and in private would tease Hayley over it but this wasn't the time. The team enjoyed a joyful meal together once more, one last meal before the biggest job of their lives. 

 

Four hours onwards, the crew arrive at the designated meeting point to discuss the details. A van pulls up and the crew are beckoned inside as they're greeted by their all too familiar fixer... on a video call.

"you're doing this over a call? why did we come here just for that? You could've called us anywhere" 

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Danny complains openly.

The guard in the van makes a low, gutteral grunt of displeasure and Danny quickly shuts his trap.

"Good, Now listen closely. This SECURE line will be used to explain to you your assignment."

The man clearly shot a look in Danny's direction before looking back at the group as a whole. 

"Braxtec are transferring some experimental new tech from one of their outside facilities to a main site, to be shown off the day after tomorrow. We and by we, I mean you guys, will be breaking into the facility. Placing a tracker on their transport vehicle and returning, cleanly. No mess. And then tomorrow when the truck starts its transport, you'll be hijacking said cargo. Understood? The facilities plans, patrol routes, guard posts, everything is in this data chip on the table. Inhale it, memorise every single shred of information on there and get to work, you've got about eight hours before they'll start prepping teams and the zone will become too hot."

As the man stops speaking, clearly waiting for questions to be returned to him, Kayley speaks up.

"Got it, we've got this."

snapping the chip up, she slots it into her dataport and begins to daze over. Everyone's taken back by her actions and simply affirm with a nod. The man huffs and ends the call.

"One of these days we'll have to learn his name."

A dry coughy laugh comes out of Danny as he says this.

"Yeah, how about we ask him when we get paid at the end of this job"

Chuckles Kellin.

 

 

 

Hayley twirls her revolver, ass planted on the hood of her car as she watches the facility in the distance. Behind her Kayley lies in the backseat plugged into the cars modified port designed specifically for herself. In the plans the group recieved was a specific set of instructions to enter the Braxtec factilities security system undetected, allowing her access to cameras and thermal signatures. Within the subspace Kayley steps through the network unchallenged, even as she spies upon the facilities netrunner from a distance.

"Take a left and hug the wall, Brax patrol will pass by in 10 seconds."

Kayley calmly relays instruction to Kellin who's already breached the facility, its been almost too easy so far.

"Ho'kay cap'n"

Kellin responded with a chirp, darting around the corner and sliding his back up against the wall as specified.

"Seriously Kellin... Patrols coming by now, not a sound."

Kellin subconsciously held his breath as a group of three heavily armed, private Braxtec security members strolled past him.

"Now continue down the hallway, final door on the right opens the stairs leading to the underground garage."

Just as Kayley said, he found himself creeping into an enormous open plan room, filled with a selection of armoured vehicles. Four squad cars and a rather large truck. Doesn't take a genius for Kellin to understand which car to set the tracker on.

"The garage has two guards inside, both are currently in the control booth, act quickly."

Kayley quickly relays.

"Got it."

Kellin nods to himself, as if everyone can see him do so and starts to sneak forward.

In the distance, he can hear the two guards laughter echoing out of the booth.

"Looks like lucks on my side today, huh?"

Kellin thought to himself.

Reaching the truck he crawls underneath, attaching the tracker to the undercarriage. With his mission complete he slides out from underneath and tries to make his way out.

"Stop, get back under the truck. Unidentified signatures heading into the garage."

Kayley's voice betrays her panic.

Kellin quickly slides back under and waits as a detail of 5 security officers barge into the room, forming a line whilst standing to attention. Shortly after a tall stalwart man entered the room, the two guards in the booth rush out to greet the man, fear painted across their face.

"Report."

The large man spoke with a dignifying poise.

The booth guards gulp then stumble out.

"Al- all clear sir, everything will proceed as scheduled."

"Good. Return to your post."

The guards flee back to safety, tails between their legs.

"What the fuck, Kellin do you know who that is?"

Kayley questions.

"Should I?"

He retorts, trying to remain perfectly still under his truck hideout.

"Thats Captain ahmey, of the Death Stalkers. What the shit is he doing here?"

A strong mixture of fear and confusion brews out of her words.

"Like I'd fucking kno- wait he's leaving."

Kellin waits nervously for everyone to exit the room.

"Right, get the fuck out of there kell"

Hayley interjects urgently.

Kayley glances over to her, either frustration or unease riddles Kayley's face. Deciding to ignore that for the time being, she spends her time directing Kellin back out of the facility safely as planned, without notice.

 

Danny is the first to greet Kellin with a bear hug, his excitement cannot be contained.

"Great job Kelly! I can smell the credits already! Hahaha we are gonna be freaking RICH! HAHA!"

"Alright big guy calm down, jobs not over yet... but now we get to do what we do best."

Kellin flexes with a grin and danny mimics his pose.

"Now we just have to post up and wait for the cargo to start moving."

Kayley explains, shuffling herself back into the car with a sigh.

Danny recenters himself as he wanders off back to his lookout post, despite his overexcitement the determination he feels is far more powerful. Hayley and Kellin take a seat on the hood of her car...

"Listen, I know this isn't the best time but-"

Kellin is interupted

"I get it, we can talk things out afterwards but uhm... All this has been a long time coming an-"

Kellin pushes his lips down upon hers, one hand on hers. Seconds pass as he slowly seperates.

"We'll talk about us afterwards, alright?"

A shit eating smirk plasters across his face as Hayley can't help but let out a discrete laugh.

"Yeah alright, you monkey."

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